Gear Geeking

This is the week that outdoor companies—and all their cool new gear—take over the big convention center in Salt Lake City, and thousands of folks like me geek out on the latest creations for enhancing outdoor sports fun.

Manufacturers showcase their products, most of which won't hit the shelves, hangers and glass cases of your favorite running stores until early 2010. SO! Here's a sneak peak at some of the goods that caught this trail runner's eye...

Smith Pivlock sunglasses ($139). A one-piece lens makes these glasses super lightweight and comfortable, and their interchangeability makes them unique (it's the first one-piece interchangeable glass I've seen). Swap out the lens between three options, including he company's "Ignitor"—a grey/rose-tinted lens designed for maximum contrast, valuable to trail runners ducking in and out of trees.

Brooks LSD Light jacket ($75). A lightweight, water-resistant jacket, the LSD Light weighs 4.2 ounces and has a great form-fitting hood. The best thing about this hood is that it tucks away into the collar, eliminating the annoyance of flopping on your back when not in use.

New Balance 876 trail running shoe ($100). An update from the hard-charging 875 shoe, the 876 is now built on the company's sleeker last (the form on which the shoe is built around), making the fit a bit more snug. A new outsole intends to handle a wider variety of terrain than the last iteration, and a gusseted tongue keeps out trail debris. (This shoe debuts in April, but keep an eye out for the full Trail Shoe Guide in the October issue of Runner's World.)

Arc'teryx Velox Comp Crew and Preceda Shorts ($59, $89). Hard-working trail running apparel, with performance features and well-thought-out details, can also look good...like this ensemble from Arc'teryx (men's outfit shown here). The shirt features two fabrics: a smooth jersey and mesh combo. And the shorts are made of a 4-way stretch woven and have three pockets, including a zippered back pocket to keep your car key secure on the trail.

Hydrapak Softflask ($7-$12). Ultrarunners may be happy to find the Softflask, which holds either 5 or 8 ounces of gel in an easy-to-squeeze flask (think toothpaste tube). Two different bite valves offer options, and though we haven't tested this yet, I imagine the gel would come out easy with a squeeze—something welcome during long runs where you need your energy to keep one foot moving in front of the other. This product is available now.

Also of interest is the use of new midsole in trail shoes from Salomon, a strapless gaitor from Mountain Hardwear, and a plethora of trail-friendly running skirts.

Welp...this is a small sampling of trail running goods that looked good on the trade show floor, and that we plan on putting to the test here over the next few months and reporting back by the time they reach your local running store.